Saturday, July 16, 2011
Songs of The Day
No Boca Do Sol: This one starts out with a great, funky horn section into a nice smooth groove. The groove has a really great feel to it, makes you pay attention. The bass is so simple yet so funky - I love it. The strings are a great addition to the groove, making it just that much smoother. Verocai really knows how to use horns and strings appropriately.
Velho Parente: One of the things Arthur Verocai seems to be best at is dynamics. Great builds into softer versions of the groove. This track opens up with a great horn build on a single chord to drop to only guitar and vocals, and it's great. So, so smooth. Nice to hear another track with female vocals on it. The horns add a really great build, and the way they weave in and out of the tune gives great dynamics. Love that the keys solo is in front of the mellow groove so it is really present. One of my favorites.
O Mapa: This seems to be the most "standard" sounding bossa groove of the album, and I dig it. It's simple and familiar yet Verocai made sure that his sound came through. Strings are very elegant sounding - very nice. Great motion in the sax solo. Great tune.
Karina (Domingo No Grajaú): I love the horns in this intro. I'm pretty sure it's just how the horns are layered, but they almost have this warped sound to them. They're also paralleled by the bass, and I think it sounds extra funky. Love the fast pick up - seems the most upbeat of the album. Great solo's all around. You can tell that everyone's just jamming at the end - sounds like a good time. Love how the beat falls apart and comes back together a couple times, it sounds genuine. Great closer.
Velho Parente: One of the things Arthur Verocai seems to be best at is dynamics. Great builds into softer versions of the groove. This track opens up with a great horn build on a single chord to drop to only guitar and vocals, and it's great. So, so smooth. Nice to hear another track with female vocals on it. The horns add a really great build, and the way they weave in and out of the tune gives great dynamics. Love that the keys solo is in front of the mellow groove so it is really present. One of my favorites.
O Mapa: This seems to be the most "standard" sounding bossa groove of the album, and I dig it. It's simple and familiar yet Verocai made sure that his sound came through. Strings are very elegant sounding - very nice. Great motion in the sax solo. Great tune.
Karina (Domingo No Grajaú): I love the horns in this intro. I'm pretty sure it's just how the horns are layered, but they almost have this warped sound to them. They're also paralleled by the bass, and I think it sounds extra funky. Love the fast pick up - seems the most upbeat of the album. Great solo's all around. You can tell that everyone's just jamming at the end - sounds like a good time. Love how the beat falls apart and comes back together a couple times, it sounds genuine. Great closer.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Songs of The Day
Presente Grego: Man, this is one funky groove! It's aching for a 70s film soundtrack. I like how up beat and groovy it is. Great, great horn line - very solid, and their chord structures are great. I love that the wawa is present, but very subdued - it's the perfect amount. Dig the that vocals are minimal. This jam makes me want to get down! So, so solid.
Dedicada a Ela: This is a slower groove than the previous, but equally as funky. I love that it's just piano, bass and percussion in the verses - very mellow, nice and simple. Man, the bass on this one - holdin it the fuck down! So funky in such a soft song. I love Verocai's percussion choices - they always contrast whatever else is going on, but that contrast is what makes them so good. The build up starting with the sax solo is so great. Strings come in, everyone gets a lil more hype while mixing in more jazz elements with plenty of funk. It just gets so damn funky! Great tune.
Seriado: This has much more going from the get go than the previous song, which I think is good in terms of song placement. Dig the opening flute groove - mad funky. There's a female singer on this one, but I can't find out any information on who she is, but I like the new element she brings. Great pockets of strings. This one sounds like it belongs in a Bond film, and I like that. Cool ending. Another solid one.
Dedicada a Ela: This is a slower groove than the previous, but equally as funky. I love that it's just piano, bass and percussion in the verses - very mellow, nice and simple. Man, the bass on this one - holdin it the fuck down! So funky in such a soft song. I love Verocai's percussion choices - they always contrast whatever else is going on, but that contrast is what makes them so good. The build up starting with the sax solo is so great. Strings come in, everyone gets a lil more hype while mixing in more jazz elements with plenty of funk. It just gets so damn funky! Great tune.
Seriado: This has much more going from the get go than the previous song, which I think is good in terms of song placement. Dig the opening flute groove - mad funky. There's a female singer on this one, but I can't find out any information on who she is, but I like the new element she brings. Great pockets of strings. This one sounds like it belongs in a Bond film, and I like that. Cool ending. Another solid one.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Songs of The Day
Caboclo: This is a great starter to the album. The guitar is very simple and sweet, which I like. There's a trippy sample in here that I find very interesting. It's kind of out of left field, but I like the different texture it adds to the tune. I love the distance in Arthur's voice, it gives the whole piece an ethereal feel to it. The strings are great, very tasteful and work nicely with the sweet groove that had been laid out. Great switch up with the ending, it builds on the trippy feel the earlier sample had added. Very cool.
Pelas Sombras: Man, this groove is intriguing. It starts out with an improv jazz keys over strings, and I really dig how they contrast one another. Love the bring down in the verses and how well the groove builds in the chorus. Great horns. I like Arthur's voice in the previous song better, but he still rocks what he's got. This is an extra funky groove, and it just keeps building. Groovin hard, that is for sure.
Sylvia: This is a much tamer groove than the previous, and I'm happy about that - it's a nice cool off. I love the ease to this groove, very romantic in my opinion. This is a really great example of strings - they're soft and in no way overpowering, yet they are present. I love how they contrast against the percussion groove going on. Great flute solo. Dig it.
Pelas Sombras: Man, this groove is intriguing. It starts out with an improv jazz keys over strings, and I really dig how they contrast one another. Love the bring down in the verses and how well the groove builds in the chorus. Great horns. I like Arthur's voice in the previous song better, but he still rocks what he's got. This is an extra funky groove, and it just keeps building. Groovin hard, that is for sure.
Sylvia: This is a much tamer groove than the previous, and I'm happy about that - it's a nice cool off. I love the ease to this groove, very romantic in my opinion. This is a really great example of strings - they're soft and in no way overpowering, yet they are present. I love how they contrast against the percussion groove going on. Great flute solo. Dig it.
Week 41: Arthur Verocai
Time for a little switch up into the Latin world. This is another one of my brother's suggestions, and he has yet to do me wrong. This album is also on the shorter side, which is good seeing that I'll be out and about this week. I've never heard of Arthur Verocai or his music, so I'm excited to have completely fresh ears on this one. Leh go!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Final Grade: B-
This is a pretty solid R&B album. Ledisi has some great pipes, and is definitely in the right place singing what she's singing. In terms of an album, it's not the greatest (especially coming after listening to Donny Hathaway - that was an R&B album). A lot of it sounded like standard R&B grooves that I had heard before, which made the album a little less interesting for me. The harmonies on this are pretty incredible and do great things for the tunes their showcased in. I also had some editing issues length-wise with some of the tunes, but nothing terrible. "Joy" was probably my favorite tune on the album, I'm sad it was the first on the track. I hope Ledisi gets the recognition she deserves from the industry, 'cause she's got something that needs to be heard.
Songs of The Day
I Tried: This has got a pretty solid groove to it. It's funky, and I dig it. Great harmonies in the chorus - Ledisi seems to have a knack for that. The hook is definitely catchy, which is always a plus. Funky bridge, funky guitar solo. The song is pretty solid, but like others on the album, I think that it's a little too long. It doesn't seem like there's enough substance in it to be as long as it is (which really isn't much at 4:05). Ledisi of course sounds great. Aside from that - solid.
The One: This is probably the most "pop" sounding tune on the album, but by that I just mean it seems to be the most radio-friendly. The beat reminds me of a 90s Monica song or something. I dig the heavy bass that comes in the 2nd verse, but I think it may be a little overbearing, just a little bit. Again, great harmonies in the chorus. Ledisi sounds great, especially scatting at the end. This falls under the same "too long" spell in my taste, but I still enjoy the sounds.
Someday: This is a pretty solid way to close the album. Lyrically, I like that it's about her mother, seeing as that's a new topic, and a likable one at that. I dig the combo guitar groove going on - it's got a very sweet feel to it. I like how the groove is brought down in the verses, it let's you focus on the lyrical content. You can really hear the emotion in Ledisi's voice on this track, which is always a good thing. Dig it.
The One: This is probably the most "pop" sounding tune on the album, but by that I just mean it seems to be the most radio-friendly. The beat reminds me of a 90s Monica song or something. I dig the heavy bass that comes in the 2nd verse, but I think it may be a little overbearing, just a little bit. Again, great harmonies in the chorus. Ledisi sounds great, especially scatting at the end. This falls under the same "too long" spell in my taste, but I still enjoy the sounds.
Someday: This is a pretty solid way to close the album. Lyrically, I like that it's about her mother, seeing as that's a new topic, and a likable one at that. I dig the combo guitar groove going on - it's got a very sweet feel to it. I like how the groove is brought down in the verses, it let's you focus on the lyrical content. You can really hear the emotion in Ledisi's voice on this track, which is always a good thing. Dig it.
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